LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Freshman forward Perry Stevenson blocked seven shots and No. 22 Kentucky scored the final 10 points of the game to pull away from Miami of Ohio 57-46 Wednesday night in its season opener.
The Wildcats led by 10 in the second half before two free throws by Nathan Peavy cut the edge to 47-46 with four minutes left.
Ramel Bradley hit a jumper in traffic and Randolph Morris made two free throws, then scored from the post to stretch it back to a seven-point deficit.
Joe Crawford led the Wildcats with 18 points.
Kentucky got off to a sluggish start, making only two of its first 11 shots while Miami hit six of its first 11, including four from 3-point range.
An open 3 by center Monty St. Clair midway through the half capped a 13-3 run for the RedHawks, who took their biggest lead at 16-6. Peavy led the RedHawks with 17.
Kentucky didn’t reach double-digits on the scoreboard for 13 minutes, until Crawford hit a jumper to cut the lead to 18-10. The junior guard connected on five of 12 shots _ including three from long-range.
The Wildcats got back into the game with a 16-3 run in the final three minutes of the first half.
Freshman guard Jodie Meeks tied it at 27 by grabbing Bradley’s miss and scoring on the putback. Crawford made a 3-pointer and added a free throw on the next possession to give Kentucky a 31-27 halftime lead.
A layup by Morris early in the second half gave Kentucky its 10-point lead, but fouls and turnovers kept the RedHawks in it. Morris picked up his fourth foul, making him a non-factor for much of the second half.
Kentucky played the game without two key players. Senior forward Sheray Thomas was suspended for an undisclosed rules violation and sophomore center Jared Carter is out with a dislocated right shoulder.
Carter hurt himself in practice and could miss about a month. His injury was part of the reason Kentucky coach Tubby Smith opted to start Stevenson.
The team’s two healthy centers, Morris and Lukasz Obrzut, have been prone to foul trouble, and Smith didn’t want to risk a quick exit for either.
